Teaching intelligence: briefing books, murder boards, and stirring scenarios

Abstract

This essay begins with a look at several ingredients – such as subject mastery and careful course planning – that, combined, can lead to effective teaching. It then turns to some classroom activities that have proven to catch the attention of students and help them to learn about the intricacies of national security intelligence. These activities include the preparation of congressional briefing books related to mock hearings on intelligence programs; ‘murder boards’ that sharpen the critiquing skills of students, as well as their ability to speak more forcefully and convincingly; and the use of dramatic scenarios to spark classroom discussions about ethical challenges faced by intelligence agencies.

Notes

1. These thoughts on the traits of good instructors draw in part on Johnson, “Elements of Effective Teaching”.

2. U.S. Senate, Alleged Assassination Plots, 13–70.

3. Weissman, “An Extraordinary Rendition”.

4. Turner, Burn Before Reading, 97.

5. Every teacher should read Hilton’s Good-Bye, Mr. Chips every now and then, as a guaranteed source of inspiration.

6. For likely answers, see Alleged Assassination Plots, 225–54; Grow, U. S. Presidents and Latin American Interventions; and Treverton, Covert Action.

7. Foot, “The Problem of Abortion”.

8. Deutch found the criticism unfair, since he had made it clear inside the CIA that his ‘rule’ would not apply in counterterrorism recruitment situations. On the Deutch rule, see Johnson, Threat on the Horizon, 450–1, note 11.